Comforting Arms
by Judge-Douglas-Mason
Summary: BS Early Jim and Sara
1. Default Chapter

Disclaimer: Nope, not mine. But I can dream, can't I?

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

COMFORTING ARMS -------------------------------------------------  
  
Sara sitting at a red light with Jim, thinking to herself:  
---------  
The way he looks in those suits, especially the blue ones; they light his eyes in that perfect way. But I would have to say that I prefer him in jeans, although, sometimes, I think I'm the only one that ever sees him in denim. I love the way they hug his curves and accentuate his muscular rump. Sometimes, I find myself daydreaming and I envision myself reaching out, "Just a little touch" I tell myself, but as soon as my fingers are within reach, something happens and I snap back to reality, a strange sense of loss and a feeling of lust, unrequited.  
  
Sometimes, I think he knows I'm watching him, but, hey, who cares? I think he likes the attention, truth be told. Its almost as though he knows and makes a show for me, waggling his butt a bit and squaring his shoulders. Oh, his shoulders, how I love them. They're so broad and strong as well as muscular. I can't even count the times I've been held in his protective grasp. He hugs me to him and tells me "everything will be ok". Those words just make me forget all my troubles. Troubles that began right after came here, to Vegas.  
  
When I came here, there seemed to be a certain amount of tension between Jim and the rest of the crew, but since I was new, and didn't know about everything that had happened before my arrival,  
I was able to start with a clean slate. At first, I wondered why this little man had inspired so much animosity and tension among the lab personnel, but as for me, I was oblivious; but not for long.  
  
Present time:  
-----------  
This morning, after a particularly nasty shift, Jim asked me out for a bite to eat. Hungry as I was, I could not bring myself to eat. Today was the day that we found Kay Shelton in the desert and I was, admittedly, distressed. Jim picked up on this and when he asked me out, I knew I wouldn't eat, but instead, we ended up talking about the case. Halfway through our meal, I began to nod off. Jim, in his typical caretaker fashion, invited me back to his place for some coffee. A bit suspicious, but more tired, I accepted his offer.  
  
We took his car, as he didn't want me falling asleep at the wheel. He followed me back to the lab where I parked my truck and then I jumped into his car. I only remember a few minutes of our ride because I fell asleep on the way. I don't remember how I got into his house, but when I woke, I was on the couch, my feet on his lap and covered by a wool blanket. Groggily, I opened my eyes and saw quite possibly the sweetest thing I've ever seen. Jim was asleep as well, his head tilted back on the headrest of the couch, his hands folded on top of my legs and his feet propped up on the coffee table. I took a few minutes to take in his features, strong and noble, before I carefully rose up and shuffled my way to the bathroom. I felt unusually rested but at the same time, still tired.  
  
As I walked down the hall back to the living room, I saw the very inviting guest room. Stepping inside, I immediately plopped down on the bed, my intention only to feel the firmness of the mattress, but soon enough, I had fallen back to sleep.  
  
Jim woke sometime later and feared that I had left. He stood up, stretched his stiff muscles and went to the rest room. Having finished his business and washed his hands, he started down the hall when he heard a scream from the guest room. Quickening his pace, he stopped outside the door and saw me, still asleep, but obviously in the throes of a nightmare. He rushed to my side and climbed on the bed to sit beside me. Taking me into his arms, he smoothed my hair back and "shooshed" me. Snapping out of my nightmare, I looked around to see my surroundings. Seeing Jim, I began to sob uncontrollably. Jim cradled me and rocked back and forth.  
  
"Its ok, Hun, everything is gonna be fine." He said

"Oh, Jim, I'm so sorry. I didn't want you to see me like this." I replied

"That's ok. Sometimes, even I have nightmares."

"Sometimes is nothing. I have them every night." I said  
  
Continuing to cradle and rock me, Jim slipped into a slightly more comfortable position. He was sitting, leaning against the headboard with me between his legs, my head on his chest. Jim continued to smooth my hair and console me. After a few minutes, he began to hum to. It was a song that his mother would sing to him when he had nightmares as a child, and somehow, he thought it might help me. As he hummed, I grabbed his forearm tighter and leaned into him.  
  
"Jim, would you stay with me, I mean, just until I fall asleep?" I asked

"Don't worry, I'm not going anywhere." He said as he slid a bit further down the bed  
  
As I got myself comfortable in Jim's warm, loving embrace, Jim could not help but wonder what it was that made me have bad dreams every night. After a few minutes, Jim fell back asleep, content to just hold me in his arms.  
  
A bit later, Jim woke, having to use the bathroom. Slowly, he slid out of bed and made his way to relieve himself. He was washing his hands when he heard a blood curdling scream from the guest room. Jim ran to my side and reassumed his previous position with me. This time I was awake and sweating like a kept servant.  
  
"Its ok, Sara. I'm here and I'm not going anywhere." He reassured me

"Jim, I'm so sorry. I never meant for you to see me like this. I must look pathetic." I replied

"No, not pathetic; but distressed. I've got something that might help you sleep." He said,  
leaving the room  
  
Jim returned moments later with a medicine bottle and a glass of milk. He handed them to me and told me to take them. I washed the pills down with the milk and curled up on my side with Jim behind her. I fell asleep soon after and slept through the rest of the night, as did Jim.  
  
When we woke in the afternoon, Jim was slightly less rested than usual, but I was ready to greet the world. I rolled over to see Jim, an arm crooked over his eyes to keep out the sun and a slight nose whistle that I thought cute. I decided to let him sleep while I prepared breakfast. My first destination was the bathroom and an empty bladder. Secondly, I was going to put the coffee on and fix breakfast. Looking through the cabinets, I found all the makings of Belgian waffles complete with whipped cream and strawberries. I also found bacon, eggs and mushrooms . Donning an apron that said "Kiss the Cook" I mixed all the ingredients together and poured the batter in the waffle iron. Turning to the coffee maker, I poured a mug for Jim and took it to the guest room. As I entered, Jim had rolled over on his side and covered his head with a pillow. Seeing this cute sight, I smiled to myself. I neared the bed and as I sat on the edge, Jim pulled the pillow off his face and looked up at me, bleary eyed.  
  
"Good afternoon, my knight in shining armour." I greeted

"Um, hmmm." He replied

"Coffee, just the way you like it." I said

"Um, thanks. How did you sleep?" he asked

"Very well, thanks to you. I feel really bad about keeping you up, Jim." I offered  
  
"That's fine. Your sanity is more important than my sleep right now, besides, I have a feeling its going to be a slow night. Maybe I'll close my office door and catch a few winks." he replied, winking  
  
I swear, for a man that only had a few hours of sleep after a particularly grueling shift, Jim sure woke up quickly. I left him to freshen up and wake up a bit, and went to the kitchen to mind the waffles.  
  
Over Breakfast, we talked about my nightmares and some of the underlying reasons for them. Jim seemed to think that part of it was because I bottle things up and don't really talk to people when I'm stressed or upset; I had to agree with him on that. He gave me a business card for a doctor friend of his and suggested that I make an appointment for a consultation.

A week has passed since Jim gave me the name of his doctor friend. I made an appointment and have had 2 sessions, which have helped out considerably; I've had no nightmares, and I know that I have Jim to thank for that.

Sitting in the break room, I'm reading an article about outdoor living and some nice camping spots in the Greater Las Vegas area. Thinking to myself, I come to the decision to give a proper thanks to Jim. Reaching into my courier bag, I fish out my cell phone and dial the number at the bottom of the article.  
  
"Yes, I'd like to make reservations for your honeymoon suite for next week, if that's possible.  
Really, its free all weekend? Can I make the reservation from Friday night until Monday afternoon? Ok, checkout time is noon, that's perfect. I'll take it. Yeah, here's the number."  
  
As I was reading the number off my credit card, Jim walked in and took the seat next to me.  
Quickly, I finished my call and closed my phone. I could tell that he was trying not to listen in on my conversation, because he was humming to himself. He can be so courteous when he wants to be, but I could tell he was curious, nonetheless.  
  
"So, you're going away?" he asked

"Yes, and so are you." I replied  
  
A grin presented itself on his face and his eyes twinkled the way they do when a small child sees his presents on Christmas morning. I wanted this to be a complete and total surprise, so I just asked him some basic questions.  
  
"So, I'm off on Friday night and Saturday as well, so, I'm going to take off on Sunday, that way I only use 1 day of vacation time. I noticed that you have the same days off, too, so, I suggest you take Sunday as well, that way we can go away for a few days. What do you think about that?" I asked  
  
Without hesitation, Jim answered.  
  
"I think I'm on my way to file for 1 day's vacation time." he said, smiling  
  
"Great, its a date."  
  
Jim stood up and, leaning forward a bit, he planted a peck on my cheek. I watched as he virtually skipped out of the break room and down the hall to his office. He was out of sight before I noticed Nick and Warrick staring at me. I knew what they were thinking, but I decided to play dumb.  
  
"So, what's up with you and Brass?" Warrick asked

"Nothing, we're just friends." I replied

"Yeah, I'll bet." Nick said, trying not to laugh.

"I swear, don't you two have anything better to do than pry into the lives of others?" I countered  
  
Standing up and turning away quickly, I walked down the hall and to Grissom's office. Seeing him inside, apparently engrossed in some book about bugs, I tapped on the glass window of his office door.  
  
"Enter." he said  
  
Stepping inside, I took the chair opposite his desk and sat down, crossing my legs at the ankles.  
He looked at me for a moment before speaking.  
  
"Well, Sara, what can I do for you?"  
"I need to take next Sunday off." I replied

"Is there a problem?" he asked

"No, I just want to take a long weekend, that's all."  
  
A look of suspicion passed over his face as he glared at me. For a minute, I was worried he wouldn't let me take off, but just as I was about to plead my case, his phone rang. Knowing that he would be distracted by the caller, I waited a few seconds before standing up and gesturing about my leave. Put a check in the "win" column for me, he waved me on and indicated that he wanted the form oh his desk by end of shift today.  
  
I was truly happy for the first time in months. This coming weekend would be one for the record books, for sure.  
  
TBC?--


	2. CH 2

"Yeah, Friday!!" Sara shouted to no one in particular as she fished her purse out of her locker  
  
It was Friday morning and shift was over. Not wanting to waste any time, she packed her bags the previous evening so that she and Jim could leave right from work. With a spring in her step and a bag over her shoulder, Sara walked down the hall to Jim's office and knocked on the door. Snapping his head up, Jim smiled when he saw that it was Sara and not someone else. Gesturing vibrantly, he motioned for her to come in.  
  
"Hey, man, you ready for 3 days of uninterrupted fun in the woods of Nevada?" she asked

"Yeah, just let me finish this up and we'll be out of here like Mercury on Crystal Meth." he replied  
  
Sara took the seat opposite Jim's desk and made herself comfortable. She was very confident in her get-away planning abilities and that she and Jim would, no doubt, have a stellar time. She had reserved the largest most inviting room that the lodge had available, even though it was called "The Honeymoon Suite". Now, she knew that there was only one very large bed in the suite, but she and Jim had shared a bed before and that time was the best sleep she had gotten in recent memory. If things did not work out, there was always the pullout bed in the living area, but Sara didn't even want to entertain thoughts of sleeping on the couch. Jim was a gentleman and she felt safe in the knowledge that he would continue to be a gentleman throughout the weekend.  
  
So deep in thought was she, that she didn't even hear the knock at Jim's door. In fact, she was so deep in thought, that she didn't even notice Grissom sitting in the chair next to her. She snapped out of her mental trip through Utopia when she heard his voice.  
  
"Sara, Earth to Sara." Gil said

"Huh, what?" she said

"Where were you right now?" he asked

"Uh, nowhere. What makes you ask?"  
"Well, you had that far off look on your face."  
  
Jim, seeing the conflict on Sara's face, interceded.  
  
"She was thinking about a joke I told her." he offered

"Really, what was it?" Gil asked

"What's silent and smells like worms?" Jim replied  
  
Thinking about it for a minute, Grissom came up empty. He shrugged his shoulders and Jim gave the answer.  
  
"Bird farts." Jim commented

"Well, that's a different one." Grissom stated  
  
Not wanting to make a liar out of Jim, Sara laughed her best fake laugh. This drew attention from Grissom who had not bothered to laugh at Jim's childish joke, but Sara continued to laugh, despite the looks from Jim and his mouthing, "Faker". Turning a bit red around the ears, Sara stood and cleared her throat.  
  
"Well, I'm gonna head home. See you boys later." she said, exiting the room  
  
Just as she exited Jim's office, she stood where Grissom could not see her and looked at Jim. Sara tapped her watch so that Jim could see her do it and before walking down the hall, she pursed her lips and placed a kiss on the glass wall of Jim's office. Seeing this, Jim blushed and tried not to look obvious. Grissom took notice of Jim's sudden rush of colour and commented.  
  
"So, what've you got planned for this weekend? I noticed that both you and Sara have Sunday off."

Not wanting to spill the details, of which he really had no idea, so he couldn't spill much,  
Jim made something up that wasn't so far from the truth.  
  
"Oh, you know, just 3 days of uninterrupted rest and relaxation. Its been a very crazy week."  
he stated

"That's good, you need a break. I wish I could take 3 days off." Gil replied

"Well, technically, its only 1 day that I'm taking off' the other 2 days are my down days." Jim offered  
  
Standing up and turning to the door, Grissom turned to Jim and smiled.  
  
"Well, you be sure not to have too much fun."

Sitting in her truck in the parking lot, Sara fished out her cell phone and dialed Jim's cell. While it rang, she could not help but smile as thoughts of the coming weekend flashed across her mind's eye. Brief visions of large pine trees and the beautiful waters of Lake Tahoe as well as quiet evenings with a roaring fire in the fireplace as she and Jim sat side by side and listened to music, r played board games, cards or some other such activity.  
  
Sitting behind his desk, silently wondering when Grissom was going to leave, Jim jumped when his cell went off. Hastily fishing through his blaze pocket, he flipped it open and addressed the caller.  
  
"Jim Brass." he answered

"Jim, this is Sara. Is he still running at the mouth?" she asked

"Yeah." he replied

"Ok, repeat after me." Sara said

"Ok." he said "Really? She's ready? Ok, tell her I'm on my way." Sara said

"Really? She's ready? Ok, tell her I'm on my way." Jim repeated

"If he asks who has come in, say that it was a friend from San Fransisco. That way, you're really not lying." she directed

"Ok, I'm leaving now." Jim stated  
  
Having heard this, Gil took it as his cue to take his leave, but not before asking who the guest was. Jim replied that it was, in fact, a friend from San Fransisco and that he needed to leave post haste. In a series of very fast, but deliberate movements, Jim gathered his belongings and made for the door to his office. Gil followed him down the hall and when they came upon his office, Gil left Jim with good wishes for the weekend.

Looking over his shoulder as he left the building, Jim made his way to Sara where she was waiting for him in her truck. When he approached her, she appeared to be dozing, so, in normal Brass fashion, Jim tapped fast and hard on the driver's side window and watched in giddy joy, as Sara jumped out of her skin and shot him a dirty look. Giving him the evil eye, she rolled down her window and sneered at Jim.  
  
"You want I should follow you home so you can dump your car?" she offered

"Yeah, my bags are by the door and my mind is already gone, for what it's worth." Jim replied

"Ok. See you there." she said  
  
Just before Jim turned away to walk to his car, he caught Sara pressing her lips to her window,  
yet again. He turned back to her and with a smirk and a raised brow, commented.  
  
"You know, you keep doing that and you're gonna get yourself in trouble."  
  
Just as quickly as he had spoken, he turned back and headed for his car, not hearing Sara's response to his comment that came in the form of, "Yeah, we'll see."

It was now around noon and they had left the city around 10:00hrs. The estimated time of their arrival was to be around 13:00hrs and they were making very good time, as Sara had a lead foot. Jim still had no idea, for sure, where they were headed, but as he leaned back in his seat and just looked at the passing scenery, he, out of the corner of his eye, noticed Sara's hand resting comfortably on the arm rest between the driver's and passenger's seats. Her skin was so pale and beautiful,. he diverted his attention from the sand and mountains to gaze upon Sara's milky soft digits.  
  
Sara had turned up the radio which was currently playing a selection of Blue Oyster Cult, The Eagles and The Moody Blues. Humming to herself and keeping her eyes on the road, her attention was caught by an aggressive driver that had just cut her off. Without thinking and out of habit, Sara extended her hand across Jim's stomach as she hi the breaks. The truck halted and the tires skidded as Jim sat bolt upright in his seat, looking around him.  
  
"What the hell was that?" he asked in short tones

"Some Monkey Spank cut us off." she replied

"Just let him be an ass. Its not worth dying over. Who knows, he might be packing." Jim commented  
  
At Jim's words, Sara eased up a bit and returned her hand to the armrest. In an attempt to comfort her, Jim reached over and laced their fingers together. They sat like this for a few moments and when Jim went to remove his hand from its current position, Sara squeezed slightly, indicating that she liked his hand right where it was. Truth be told, Jim was glad for the contact. You see, over the last week since Sara's nightmares, Jim's sleep had been disrupted by various dreams involving he and Sara. They ranged from the purely platonic and innocent to the incredibly sensual and mindblowingly sexual; the previous night's dream as an example. Jim dreamed that he was at home, watching a hockey game, minding his own business when Sara entered the den, dressed only in one of his cast off dress shirts and nothing else. She approached him and very seductively sashayed over to him and his lap, which had, at this point, developed a serious bulge. Making herself very comfy and running her fingernails lightly through the hair at the base of his skull, she leaned over and whispered into his ear.  
  
"You know, I've always found you very hot, Jim. Do you know what you do to me?" she said  
  
Speechless and totally dumbfounded as to how she even got into his house in the first place, all Jim could do was simply nod the affirmative. Lord knows that Jim tried his damnedest to keep his attention focused on the game, but Sara's actions were rather distracting. Finally, Jim gave up and gave in to his desires.  
  
Turning his head so that he was facing her, Jim placed a hand on her cheek and drew her in for a kiss, which was small and slight at first, but within a very short period of time, escalated to a heated, passionate tonsil tickling. Tasting her and the sweet aroma of the way she smelled, Jim was caught up in the moment. Before he knew it, he was standing up and Sara was seated atop his desk, legs spread apart, with Jim standing between them. As he kissed her about the mouth, neck and clavicle, he could feel the heat coming from her, within. Not wanting to be over eager, but at the same time, not wanting to hesitate too long, Jim slowly moved his right hand from her neck, down her front, past her breast bone and towards her abdomen. When he had gone far down enough, he rested his hand on her hip and squeezed as Sara, with her free hand, began to unbuckle his belt and shed him of his clothing. Jim took this as a good thing and was even more pleased when Sara placed her hand on top of his and guided it to her crotch.  
  
Jim's pants hit the floor and his shirt was flung from his shoulders by the time that he entered Sara. Slowly and gently, he eased himself into her and was rewarded with a discernable gasp and moan from her as his head passed through her slick tunnel. Jim watched as she flung her head back and her hair flew about over her shoulders and neck. Never in a million years did Jim Brass ever think that he would know someone as beautiful and smart as Sara Sidle, but actually know her in the carnal sense. Overcome by a flood of emotions; love, lust, respect, reverence, shock, awe and lastly, but certainly not leastly, kinship, Jim was with her every step of the way. You see, Jim had always felt a sort of connection with Sara, but not until now, did he know why the connection was there. They, both of them, were solitary creatures, by nature, as well as uncommonly intelligent, empathetic, understanding and they both loved to laugh and have a good time as much as they liked to curl up with a good book and just kick back and relax.  
In Sara, Jim saw the other half to his incomplete self, she was the yin, to his yang,; she was his other self.  
  
Having this revelation, Jim gazed at Sara, who was in obvious ecstasy, and realized that she was the one; the only one that he ever really and truly connected with. Her pleas for harder and faster motion did not fall on deaf ears. Jim thrust harder as Sara moaned in pleasure and flung her head from left to right. He could feel her tighten around his rock solid, throbbing member, and as she came and called out his name for, what seemed, all the world to hear, Jim climaxed, himself and as his legs threatened to cut out on him, he thrust until every fibre of his being was shouting at him to relent.  
  
These were the sort of dreams that Jim had been having for the last week. At first, Jim saw them as unwelcome, but as the week drew on and time passed, he found himself looking forward to bedtime and to the visions that would keep him company during his slumber. Sara, on the other hand, had had no ill dreams visit her in the last week, in fact, she had been having some very easing and comforting dreams, most of which involved Jim in some fashion or another. For example, a dream from a few nights ago.  
  
Sara sat on her couch reading the dictionary/thesaurus, when she heard a sound coming from the back of her apartment. Whipping her head around to see who it was, Sara saw Jim dressed in faded blue jeans, white v-neck t-shirt and flip flops, coming toward her, morning paper in hand. Plopping himself down next to her and leaning over to place a kiss on her cheek, Jim grinned and sighed.  
  
"You are so beautiful. Have I ever told you that?" he asked  
  
Sara said nothing, but smiled instead. Sara flipped through the morning paper and fished out the business section to see how her stocks were doing, while Jim went right for the sports page and the scores from the previous night. Since there was a lockout within the NHL, Jim resigned himself to the Basketball and Football scores. He grumbled as he saw that the New Jersey Nets had lost their game against the L.A. Lakers, but was overjoyed by the win of the Denver Broncos over the Washington Redskins, as usual, as well as the win by the Navy Midshipman over Army 28-14. At this, Jim jumped up and scooped Sara in his arms and spun her around in circles. Jim, unbeknownst to others at the lab, was a closet Navy fan, and I mean in a big, big way.  
  
Stopping at a roadside produce stand, Jim and Sara got out to stretch their tired and stiff limbs. As Sara stepped out of the truck, her knees cracked as did her back. Hearing this from his side of the truck, Jim stated that he was going to drive the rest of the way. To this, Sara did not argue, she was actually glad to hear it, as she was quite tired and wanted to catch a few winks while she still could.  
  
They wandered through the rows of fresh grown, hand picked vegetables and they settled on some baby carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, and cherry tomatoes. While standing in line at the register, Jim spied some fruit salad containing kiwi fruit, grapes, cantaloupe, honeydew melon as well as watermelon. Being that it was the last container of it and that he really wanted something sweet, Jim jumped on it and when Sara gave him an odd look about his pouncing on the fruit, he simply shrugged and stated that it had been some time since he'd had kiwi fruit. Knowing full well that it was a load of BS, Sara just sighed and took the plastic container from him and waited her turn in line. Standing by Sara's side, Jim noticed a grocery store across the street.  
  
"I'm gonna run over there. Can you meet me?" he asked

"Yeah, whatcha getting?" Sara inquired

"Its a surprise." Jim stated as he pecked her on the cheek and ran across the street  
  
Inside the store, Jim had only one thing on his mind, and as he picked up an Igloo cooler and a 7lb bag of ice, he made his way to the frozen foods section for his quarry; Godiva Dark Chocolate Ice Cream. Jim didn't know as much about Sara as he would have liked to, but if there was one thing he did know it was that she loved her simple pleasures, and this ice cream was one of them. He had noticed the container in the staff fridge enough times and the hard to miss, "Sara's Ice Cream, You Touch, You Die" printed in marker on the lid was a dead give away.  
  
Just as Jim stepped outside of the store, Sara pulled up and gave him a curious look as he placed the cooler in the back seat and climbed in the driver's seat; he had, after all, said he would drive the rest of the way. Back on the road and heading ever further from the harsh lights and seedy elements of Las Vegas, Sara glanced at the seat behind her and smirked.  
  
"So, what's in the cooler, man?" she asked

"Well, open it and find out." Jim replied  
  
Unbuckling her belt and reaching behind her, Sara pulled the cooler up front and as she lifted the lid, her eyes widened and she reached in and removed the contents. Gazing at the container the way Homer J. Simpson would a forbidden donut, Sara let out a low groan and then smiled. Jim could tell that his decision was a wise one, just by the look on her face.  
  
Having no spoon, Sara dipped her finger in the ice cream and just as she was about to lick the frozen goodness from her digit, she looked over at Jim and gestured for him to suck it off.

With a curious look in his eyes and a flutter in his heart, Jim leaned his head forward a bit and took Sara's finger in his mouth and ever so slightly, he swirled his tongue around her finger tip to removed the chocolate ecstasy. Slowly and deliberately, Sara withdrew her finger tip from Jim's lips and dipped it again back into the ice cream, this time, licking it off herself. Out of the corner of his eye, Jim could see what Sara was doing and it made him crazy; she was sending so many signals, but he didn't to misread them, so he just kept to himself and decided that if anything was going to happen between them, he would let her make the firs move.  
  
TBC?--


	3. CH 3

13:00hrs on the nose and they had arrived at the lodge. During his shift as driver, Jim had to ask every so often where he should turn and other such questions. Sara wanted to keep things a surprise for as long as possible, so she gave him limited information, but as they neared their destination, it dawned on Jim exactly where it was that they were headed.  
  
When they pulled into the gravel lot, Sara sat up straight in her seat and looked out the window. The lodge was so much more beautiful than she had imagined, it was almost like a dream. As far as she could see, there were pine trees, evergreens, log cabins and in the distance, she could see the light shimmering off of the surface of Lake Tahoe.  
  
They stepped out and after stretching their stiff limbs, Jim and Sara made their way to the main building to check in. Jim held the door open for Sara as she passed in front of him and headed for the concierge. No one was around, so she tapped on the bell that sat on the counter. Moments later a woman appeared. She was of average height and weight and her hair was jet black, with her eyes being one of the deepest shades of green Sara had ever seen.  
  
"Yeah, hi. Sidle, party of two." she stated  
  
Looking in the reservation book, the hostess quickly found Sara's reservation and smiled.  
  
"Yes, I have your room right here. Might I ask how long you two have been married?"  
asked the clerk  
  
Before Sara could correct the woman, Jim spoke up.  
  
"1 week." he stated "Well, might I be one of the first to congratulate you on your blessed union." she offered  
  
Taking Sara's hand in his, Jim kissed the back of it and smiled. Sara knew that Jim liked to play games and figured that he was just going along with the charade. As the woman turned to get their room key, Sara looked up at Jim, expecting him to be uneasy, but to the contrary,  
he was calm, cool and actually grinning. As the hostess handed Sara the room key, Jim tilted his head down and kissed her on the cheek. Looking at the woman, Jim simply stated:  
  
"I love this woman."  
  
The woman smiled and wished them joy as Jim and Sara exited the main building. On the way back to the truck, Sara turned to Jim and smirked.  
  
"Why did you say we were married?" she asked "Well, it is the honeymoon suite, and far be it from me to spoil someone's fun. Besides, they'll probably send up some champagne tonight. And that always comes in handy." he replied

#############  
  
Having unpacked and settled in, Jim and Sara now had to tackle the issue of who got the bed. Jim, being the gentleman that he is, offered it to Sara. But Sara, being as resolute as she is, told Jim to keep it. In the end, they decided to share, as the bed was more than big enough; a king size. In the back of her mind, Sara was a bit apprehensive about sleeping with Jim, but decided that since this would not have been the first time, that it would be fine. They unpacked their bags and placed their clothing in the dresser drawers and when they had finished,  
Sara wandered outside and sat in one of the Adirondack chairs on the front porch.  
  
Their cabin was right on the lakeside and they had a clear view of the glistening waters of scenic Lake Tahoe. Soaking in the sun and simply staring out into space, Sara felt a sudden rush fall over her like that of an epiphany. And it was that she was home. Granted, she had never been to Tahoe before, but only seen it in pictures, but she felt at home, regardless. The smells and the sights, like the birds and deer that passed in front of her just felt so right, like she had seen them countless times before, that she was not even in awe, as a family of deer walked by.  
  
A short while later, Jim emerged from inside and plopped himself in the chair next to Sara. He stretched out and sighed as he laced his fingers across his belly and closed his eyes. Sara watched as Jim dozed off and when he began to snore, she got up, lightly ran her hand across his buzz cut and went inside. In the living area, she found a television with cable tv. Flipping through the channels, she settled on the Sci-Fi channel. At present, there was a "V the Final Battle" marathon on. Sara leaned back, propped her feet up on the solid oak coffee table and turned the volume down a bit so as to not wake Jim.  
  
Sara watched as Mike Donovan and Ham Tyler fired laser pistols at the lizard aliens. She remembered in the 80's when the show was on television and she would sit every week, watching and becoming totally engrossed in what was going on. Normally, it was Mike Donovan that women found irresistible, but for Sara, it had always been Ham Tyler. He was tall, broad, had a very nice speaking voice and there was just something about the way he moved and carried himself that always turned her on. Maybe it was the receding hairline, maybe it was the scar on his face; she wasn't sure, but one thing she was sure of was that this man was hot, hot, hot.  
  
17:00hrs and Jim woke alone on the front porch, covered by a wool blanket. Smiling to himself, Jim arched his back and stretched his legs and arms out. Standing up, he had to place a hand on the back of the chair to steady himself, due to the head rush that had come over him. He closed his eyes so he wouldn't fall over and waited for the dizziness to subside.  
  
Later in the afternoon, Jim and Sara went into town and to the market for some food. They picked up the essentials; red wine, French bread, brie, bottled water and some fruit. On their way back to the lodge, Sara spotted an Italian restaurant. They went inside and looked at the case mounted menu. Rubbing an open hand across the side of her face, Sara turned to Jim.  
  
"Do we want to eat here or bring it back to the cabin?" she asked "That's up to you." Jim replied

"Let's take it back. That way, we can relax and take our time." she said "Sounds like a plan." Jim commented  
  
Jim ordered some lasagna with meat sauce while Sara ordered some eggplant parmesan. While they waited for their meals to be done, Jim and Sara walked around to kill some time. They found a nice little curio shoppe and went inside. All around the dimly lit store there were trinkets, bits and baubles of various styles and origins. On a shelf near the back of the store, Sara found an ivory carving of a Japanese village encased in a teak wood sort of frame with glass in front and in back of it. Turning it over very carefully and examining it, Sara fell in love with it. She fingered the price tag and seeing that it was reasonably priced, she decided to buy it. At the other end of the shoppe, Jim had found a sword which appeared to be Japanese in origin, with a carved ivory handle and an intricately carved blade with lettering on it. Examining it thoroughly, Jim found the shop owner and asked what the writing said. Without even looking at the sword, the clerk responded.  
  
"It says "Beware The Fury of the Patient Man."  
  
Thinking to himself, Jim decided he liked the item and decided to buy it. So, sword in hand, Jim found Sara and they exchanged items for inspection. Jim looked her carving over carefully while Sara gracefully sliced through the air with the blade. She heard a very nice swoosh and when she held the scimitar with the business end pointing upward, she smiled.  
  
"I like this one. Its got a good weight and its perfectly balanced." she commented

"I never knew you were into swords, Sara." Jim said

"Well, any idiot can use a gun, but it takes true grace and discipline to learn how to use a blade." she stated  
  
Jim could not argue with her on that one, not that he wanted to, mind you, but he just never thought of Sara as a swordsman. With a smile on her face, Sara handed the sword back to Jim and they headed for the register. Sara's Japanese village was priced at $300.00, but she haggled it down to $250.00, whereas Jim's sword was considerably more expensive, but since it came with a certificate of authenticity and origin, he willingly forked over the $1200.00 in the form of his Visa Platinum card.  
  
As they stepped outside and made their way back to the restaurant, Jim and Sara dropped their merchandise in the boot of the truck. Covering his new toy with a blanket, Jim had a very broad smile plastered across his face, he was truly happy that he found such a nice, quality item.  
  
Inside the restaurant Sara and Jim picked up their dinner and walked back to the truck. Placing the bag with the food on the floor between her feet, Sara buckled herself in and turned to Jim, who was still smiling over his sword.  
  
"I swear, Jim, you're like a kid in a candy store. I had that same dopey grin on my face when I found my first geode. It was big and dark grey on the outside. but inside, it was amethyst and charcoal coloured. I still have it." she explained  
  
"So, you're into swords, rocks, physics and what else? Sara, you're like an enigma; a walking, talking puzzle. Mind you, I love puzzles, but you're a truly rare bird." Jim commented  
  
During the ride back to the lodge, Jim and Sara continued to share pieces of themselves; likes, dislikes, hobbies, passions and such. Jim confided to Sara that he secretly loved chick-flicks and Sara confessed that she loves horror films, especially psychological thrillers and gore.  
Not in the least bit surprised by this, Jim commented that he too, likes horror movies. No sooner did Jim declare his love for blood and guts than they rolled past a video store. Turning to Sara, Jim grinned.  
  
"You wanna pick something up?" he asked

"Yeah, I can think of no better way to spend a relaxing weekend than to watch work away from work." she stated  
  
Jim parked the truck and they hopped out and went inside. With nothing else on their minds, both of them scouted the tops of the racks until Jim located the horror section. Scanning the selections, Sara pulled down "The Haunting", "The House on Haunted Hill" and "In the Mouth of Madness". Jim went more for "The Ring", "Event Horizon" and the "Alien Quadrilogy".  
  
"Damn, Jim, you really must like Sigourney Weaver." Sara commented

"Yeah, well, she's fine any way you look at it." he replied  
  
On their way to the check-out counter, Jim spotted a couple of films that he had not seen in the longest time, so, picking it up, he added it to their selections. Seeing the title of the last film, Sara turned to Jim and chuckled.  
  
"Shadowlands and Steel Magnolias?" she asked

"Yeah, its a really good film and its got Debra Winger." he replied blushing a bit  
  
They paid for their rentals and climbed back in the truck. ############  
  
"Well, that was pretty good." Sara said

"Yeah. I'm not much for Italian, but I must admit that I really liked it." Jim commented  
  
Jim stood from the table and took their dishes to the kitchenette. While he washed the plates, Jim wondered what film they would watch. He and Sara had discussed this topic over dinner and he told her that she got first pick, so, as the warm water washed over his hands, Jim hummed to himself.  
  
Sitting back down on the couch, Jim kicked off his shoes and propped his feet up on the coffee table. Sara had the movies laid out in front of her and tapped the tip of her index finger on her pursed lips.  
  
"So, what do you want to watch?" she asked

"Doesn't matter to me, we've got two and a half days and ten movies to watch." he replied  
  
Reaching down, Sara picked up "Event Horizon" and popped it into the dvd player and leaned back on the couch. As the opening credits ran, Jim poured himself and Sara some wine. Handing Sara her glass, Jim sighed heavily. Picking up on this, Sara inquired as to why Jim was so tired.  
  
"Well, the drive up here, for one, and work, too. I guess I just needed to kick back and relax." he replied

"You wanna call it a night? We've got more than enough time for these." she said, gesturing to the movies  
  
"No, I'm fine. But if I start to snore, just poke me." he replied, laughing  
  
It was halfway through the movie when Sara looked over to see Jim snoozing happily. Looking down at her watch, Sara noted the time, and seeing that it was kind of on the late side, she turned the movie off and covered Jim with the wool blanket from the back of the couch. Standing over him, Sara smiled to herself.  
  
"Goodnight, handsome."  
  
TBC?--


	4. CH 4

I would like to credit my anonymous collaborator in this story. He's a great guy and one of the best friends I've got. I will, forever, be in his debt, for all the help and guidance he's given me; my "Godfather". (Sara's massage, courtesy of my co-conspirator)  
------------------------------------  
  
Waking in the middle of the night, Jim noticed that the television had been turned off and Sara was nowhere around. Standing and stretching his arms, legs and cracking his back, he quickly turned his head when he heard a sound from the bedroom. Having to relieve himself and being that the bathroom was off the bedroom, Jim tip-toed as quietly as he could through the sleeping quarters. Two steps before he reached the bathroom, Jim's foot pressed on a loose floorboard and he whispered his curse.  
  
"Shit."  
  
Unbeknownst to Jim, Sara was lying awake in bed listening to the howl of the wind through the slightly open bedroom window. Reaching out and resting her hand on the hanging toggle of the lamp switch, she fingered it and pulled. The light came on and Sara sat up in bed, looking at Jim, who was now slightly more red than he was before.  
  
"Ah, methinks we have a prowler." she said chuckling a bit

"Sorry, 'bout that." Jim said

"S'ok. I wondered when you'd be getting up anyway." she replied  
  
Jim continued on his way to the bathroom and closed the door behind himself, but leaving it open a crack. When he was done, he washed his hands and brushed his teeth. Wiping his hands on the towel hanging from the back of the bathroom door, Jim turned off the light and stood in the doorway, looking at Sara. Much to his surprise, Sara peeled back the bedclothes from the other side of the bed and patted her hand in invitation to him. Contemplating his choices, Jim stood still for a moment. "Well, I could sleep on the couch or I could climb in with Sara." he thought to himself. Seeing the conflict on Jim's face, Sara giggled and patted some more.  
  
"Come on, Jim. We're both grown-ups and I think I can restrain myself from jumping your bones." she said  
  
"If you're sure. I don't want to intrude." Jim replied

"I wouldn't ask if I wasn't sure. Now climb in before your feet get cold and you freeze me out. If there's on thing I hate is frozen feet in bed." she stated  
  
Shedding his jeans and socks, Jim climbed into bed with Sara and lay on his back. Sighing loudly, Jim looked at his watch; 02:00. Raising his arm to let his head rest in the crook of his elbow, Jim looked over at Sara, who was still awake. Thinking to himself for a moment, Jim whispered.  
  
"You still awake?"  
"Yeah, I've gotten a few hours of sleep, so I'll probably be awake for the rest of the night."she replied

"So, that's common for you, then, only getting a few hours of sleep?" "Yeah, sometimes I go for days without sleep. I guess you could call it an occupational hazard."she joked

"I've got some Ambien if you want some." Jim commented

"Nah, that's ok, besides, if I take some, it'll knock my clock out of whack, and that's the last thing you want. I turn into a bitch and I don't think you want a bitch as your weekend companion." Sara stated  
  
Jim tried his best to fall back to sleep, but found it hard. He shifted his weight and rolled over several times before finally finding a comfortable position. Still on his back, but with his left arm stretched out over the top of Sara's head, his fingers quickly found their way to strands of her hair, twirling them around his digits. Apparently unaware of this, Jim was a bit startled when Sara began to purr and whispered.  
  
"Jim, what are you doing?" she asked

"Huh, what?" he replied

"You're twirling my hair, Jim."  
"Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't even realize I was doing it." he commented "That's cool, just try to go to sleep." she directed  
  
Jim left his hand where it was, but stopped twirling Sara's hair. Moments after he stopped, Sara grunted and rolled over to face Jim. Opening her eyes, she could see that Jim was still awake. She propped herself up on her elbow and waved her hand in front of his face. After a few seconds , she spoke.  
  
"Um, Jim?"  
"Yeah?" he replied

"You know, that actually felt good. I was almost asleep." she commented  
  
Taking this new information into account, Jim sighed.  
  
"Come here." Jim said, motioning for Sara to rest her head atop his chest  
  
Placing her head on Jim's chest, Sara closed her eyes and sank within herself as the sensation of Jim's fingers twirling her hair around his fingers warmed her inside. She could hear Jim's heartbeat, strong and steady beneath her ears. The rhythmic sound of the blood pumping through the ventricles of Jim's cardiovascular system lulled Sara to sleep within a matter of minutes. Jim, on the other hand, wondered what he had done to deserve this moment, here and now.

##########

The sun was up and so was Jim. He had woken about an hour earlier and not wanting to wake Sara with his flopping around and such, he got dressed and decided to go for a walk in the woods. It had been quite sometime since Jim had been awake with the sun on a day off, but for some reason, he woke this morning with a smile on his face and a spring in his step. As he padded down the path towards the lake, his mind wandered on thoughts of last night and how good it felt to hold Sara in his arms.  
  
"Maybe it was just comfortable for her, after all, she did seem tired." he said aloud  
  
Passing through the underbrush along the banks of the lake, Jim found a log and copped a squat to watch the forest creatures come alive with the dawn of a new day. As he watched a family of deer drinking from the water, Jim's mind wandered back to the events of last night; the way that Sara rested her arm across Jim's midsection and how good it felt to run his fingers up and down her spine and the way she would shiver when the touches were too light. Jim tried not to delude himself into thinking that Sara's closeness last night was anything other than simple human wanting for companionship, but there was a part of him that thought, no, wished that it meant something else. Truth be told, he did have certain feelings for her, but he had kept them in check, knowing that she had a thing for Grissom. But, knowing that Grissom would never entertain thoughts or feelings that he may have for Sara, Jim allowed himself to hope and dream.  
  
For the better part of an hour, Jim sat and just stared into space, trying not to let his thoughts steer themselves towards the negative, but he knew that Sara was a very attractive woman that could literally have just about any man that she wanted, so, why, then, did she seem the be expressing an interest in him?  
  
He was deep in thought when he noticed, out of the corner of his eye, what appeared to be a large lump by the lakeside about 200 yards away. Curious as ever, he stood up and made his way along the bank. As he approached, he could hear what sounded like the pathetic cries of an animal at the animal shelter. The low, drawn out howling, almost like that of an injured animal, made him quicken his pace. When he was within 20 or so feet, Jim realized that the lump was in fact a burlap sack that had washed ashore. Standing over it, he jumped back when the sack came alive. Kneeling down and taking it in hand, Jim held the opening up and untied the string that was knotted, keeping the sack closed. Inside, Jim saw quite possibly one of the most horrific sights he had ever seen; a lone kitten, clambering over the bodies of its deceased brothers and sisters. Jim's stomach turned as he reached in and around the bodies of the other kittens, taking the one, live kitten in his hands. It was shivering from being soaked and the cold air, so Jim took off his shirt and wrapped it around the little creature and turned, heading back to the lodge. Looking down at his new charge, Jim noticed that he seemed to be around 6 months old,  
give or take a few weeks. Regardless of the kitten's age, he was definitely full of spit and spirit  
  
Ascending the steps to the porch, Jim cradled the kitten in the crook of his elbow and walked to the kitchenette where he ran some warm water in the sink and dropped in the rubber stopper. As the sink filled, Jim looked around for some mild soap, finding only a bar of Ivory. When there was about 4 inches of water in the basin of the sink, Jim set the kitten down and proceeded to wash the dirt, grime and funky smell from its fur. Not in the least bit surprised, Jim tried to calm the kitten from freaking out as the little creature hissed and tried to claw its way free. After a few minutes, the bath was done and Jim took the hand towel from the fridge door and dried the cat off. Holding him up in front of his eyes, Jim sighed.  
  
"You're a lucky one, you know that?"

###########

The sunlight crept through the shades of the bedroom and as a beam of light settled in Sara's eyes, she reached over and took Jim's pillow, throwing it at the window. The disturbance in the air and the impact of the down pillow on the drapes caused the drapes to open even further as Sara cursed out loud. Rolling over, she looked at her watch sitting on the bedside table; 09:00. Lying in bed for a few minutes, she resigned herself to the fact that she had to get up or she would be out of whack all day.  
  
Searching for something to put on, she found a pair of sweats that she had cast to the floor during the night. Tying them snug, she shuffled her way to the bathroom to relieve herself and brush her teeth. Having freshened up, she made her way through the bedroom and out to the living area. Looking around, she could not see Jim, so she stepped outside on the porch to find Jim seated in an Adirondack chair, cradling a very fluffy lump of black and white fur. Jim was dozing, as was the kitten, and as Sara stood over him, her heart swelled from the sight of seeing this rough on the outside, but obviously big softy on the inside, homicide captain.  
  
Quickly Sara rushed inside to fish through her travel bag for her camera. Finding it, she quietly tip toed back outside and standing over Jim and the kitten, snapped a few photos of her knight in shining armour and his new companion. With a smile on her face, Sara walked back inside and headed for the coffee maker to pour herself a cup. Having added cream and sugar to her morning drink, she walked back outside and sat next to Jim in the other chair.  
  
Watching the wind play on the tops of the trees, Sara thought about the previous evening and how it felt to sleep in the same bed as her best friend; and for all accounts and purposes, Jim was her best friend. He knew things about her that no other person knew, he knew of her love for swords, her love for horror films, her love for children and family and that she had played Dr. Doolittle as a young girl. Over the last 24 hours, she and Jim had shared sides of themselves that they had kept hidden from everyone; they knew each other's secrets.  
  
After sitting and watching the trees and Jim with his new companion for the better part of an hour, Sara felt that little feeling in her nose, the feeling that is immediately followed by a big, honking sneeze. Covering her mouth and turning her head, she tried to hold it in, but only succeeded making it worse. The sneeze must have startled Jim's little friend, because he puffed up and hissed, raking his claws out in a sort of protective manner. Feeling the shift in weight, Jim rubbed his eyes and looked around. Seeing the state of his furry friend, Jim smiled at Sara.  
  
"What time is it?" he asked

"Its about 10:30. Where did you run off to this morning. I woke up and you were gone." she said  
  
Feeling like he should apologize, but not quite sure why, Jim turned to face Sara.  
  
"I'm sorry, I woke up and didn't want to wake you with my tossing and turning, so I went for a walk." he explained  
  
"Is that where you found your new friend?" she asked

"Yeah, poor thing was in a burlap sack with dead kin. So, I rescued him." Jim stated

"He's adorable." she said, reaching out a hand to pet the little guy  
  
When Sara's hand was no further than a few inches from the kitten, he lashed out and swiped at Sara's hand. Recoiling out of a desire not to be scratched, Sara looked at Jim and how the kitten was looking up at him, almost seeking approval. Jim looked down and smiled.  
  
"He seems to be asking you if he did good, Jim." Sara commented "Well, I think I've found a new guard critter. Lord knows that the dog is useless in that fashion." Jim commented  
  
"What's his name?" Sara asked  
  
Thinking to himself, Jim considered Sara's words carefully. He had rescued the critter, cleaned and fed him, but the whole time, he had not even thought of what to call the pint sized protector. Rubbing his face with an open hand, Jim thought to himself for a moment.  
  
"Well, what was the first thing you said to him?" she asked  
  
Taking a moment to recall, Jim remembered.  
  
"You're a lucky one, you know that?" Jim replied

"Well, then, that's his name; Lucky." Sara stated  
  
Looking down at the kitten, Jim smiled as he addressed him.  
  
"How you like that, hmm, Lucky?"

As Jim addressed the kitten, he sat up and cocked his head to the side, as if to acknowledge Jim's question. Smiling at Sara, Jim laughed.  
  
"I think he likes it." he commented

"Well, that settles it, then. Lucky, it is." she replied

############  
  
Afternoon and Jim and Sara had just returned from the market with several tins of tuna and calcium fortified milk for Lucky. They had also purchased a plastic tub that they designated as a litter box. Sara had wanted to buy some toys for Lucky, but Jim insisted that cats like toys they find around the house, like balls of tin foil, paper bags and shoelaces.  
  
"I'm telling you Sara, there's no use in wasting all sorts of money on stuff that he's never gonna use, you know?" Jim stated  
  
"Yeah, I guess you're right." she replied  
  
Jim and Sara watched as Lucky batted a wadded up ball of tin foil around the kitchen area and on through to the living room. Sara laughed as she watched Lucky play around while she put the groceries away. Jim had gone out to the tree line to fetch some firewood for the evening's fire in the hearth. Last night they had been too tired to even bother with thinking about a fire, but tonight, Sara said she would have liked one.  
  
It was around 14:00hrs when Sara and Jim were sitting down to a late lunch, in the middle of their meal, Sara's cell phone rang. Looking towards the bedroom, she started to get up. Jim placed his hand on hers and gestured for her to sit back down.  
  
"Sara, you're on holiday. Let it ring." he said

"It might be important." she replied  
  
The cell stopped ringing and for a moment, she returned to her meal. Moments later the cell rang again, this time she jumped up and walked to the bedroom and snatched up her phone. Flipping it open, Sara spoke into the speaker.  
  
"This is Sara Sidle. I'm on holiday, so this better be good." she said,  
watching Jim grin from ear to ear

"Sara, this is Catherine. There's been an accident. Gil's hurt; he's at Desert Palms." she said, trying to keep her tones low

"What happened? But more importantly, why are you calling me?" she replied

"Well, he was broad sided and you're listed as next of kin. So, I'm calling you."Catherine relayed

"Well, Catherine, we're up in Tahoe, so it'll be at least 3 or 4 hours till I can get back."she explained

"Who's we?" Catherine inquired

"That's not important, the fact remains that I know next to nothing about Grissom or his needs, besides, you've known him longer; you play next of kin." Sara countered  
  
"Sara, I can't believe you. Gil's in hospital and you're being selfish." Catherine snarled

"I'm not being selfish, I'm merely pointing out the facts, Catherine." Sara hissed

"Fine, I'll sit at his bedside and when he asks where you are, I'll just tell him that your mini-break was more important to you than his health and welfare." Catherine snapped  
  
"You do that." Sara said in raised tones, then hung up  
  
Returning to the dining table, Sara plopped herself down across from Jim and resumed her dining. Jim glared at her from his seat and after a few moments, he gave into his curiosity and asked the problem.  
  
"So, what's this about Gil being in hospital?" he asked

"He was broad sided and has me down as next of kin. Why, I'll never know." she replied

"And Catherine wants you to come back to town?"  
"Yeah, but I don't see what service I could be to him." she said  
  
The rest of the meal was spent in silence with Sara contemplating her decision not to return to Vegas. In the back of her mind, Sara felt a bit guilty for not leaving, but the larger part of her saw no point in leaving, instead, she would call the hospital and check on him. She stood up and walked back to the bedroom for her phone. Having the number on speed dial, she hit the number 9 button and listened as the phone rang.  
  
"Yeah, this is Sara Sidle, I'm calling in regards to a man that was just brought in. His name is Gil Grissom and he was in an auto accident. I see, how is he? That's good, so, he's out of the proverbial woods, then? That's good to hear. Thanks."

Throughout the rest of the afternoon and into the evening, Sara's mind was about as far from Lake Tahoe as one could get. Jim tried, however fruitlessly, to change her focus from that of regret and second guessmanship to one of someone that was actually on holiday. Lucky helped a bit in his own way, by jumping up on Jim's lap and seeking affection. However, he was still a bit leery of Sara, but that was ok, she figured he would warm up to her in his own time.  
  
Sitting on the couch in the living area, Sara stared blankly at the television screen as Steel Magnolias had Jim firmly in its grasp. Turning to Sara, Jim placed his hand on her shoulder and rubbed firmly. Sara rolled her neck and groaned a bit. Seeing that Sara was in dire need of a massage, Jim stood up and walked around the back of the couch. As he laid one hand on each shoulder, Jim proceeded to rub the knots and stress from her upper back. When he finished with the shoulders, Jim asked if she was ok.  
  
"Yeah, I'm fine. A little stressed out, though." she said  
  
Patting her shoulder with a firm hand, Jim rounded the back of the couch and stood in front of her. Looking up at Jim, Sara wondered what he was thinking. Extending a hand to her, Sara took it and stood up. Hands joined, they walked to the bedroom and Jim directed Sara to remove her shirt and lay on her stomach. Jim turned and went into the bathroom and to his toiletry kit. He had brought some lotion with coco-butter and shea-butter that smelled like marzipan. Jim loved the smell and knew it to be a very good product, and he should know, in the cold season Jim's skin had a tendency to get overly dry, and he had found this product years ago while back east.  
  
Jim stood in the doorway to the bathroom and gazed at quite possibly, the most beautiful sight he had ever seen; a nearly naked Sara Sidle lying in bed, wearing only a pair of small sized boxer shorts, waiting for him, although she was waiting for something different from what he was waiting for, but he would be patient; after all, Jim was a very patient man. With her head resting on her crossed forearms, Sara looked at Jim as he approached her and smiled.  
  
"You've got that look in your eyes, Jim."  
  
Realizing that he was busted, Jim cleared his throat and sat beside her, looking down at her. Laying a warm hand on her bare back, Jim explained what he was going to do.  
  
"Ok, you're in need of a massage and some acupressure. So, just lay there and let Jimmy do his thing." he explained  
  
"I am putty in your hands." she replied "That remains to be seen." Jim stated as he climbed on the bed beside her  
  
Straddling her back and resting on her butt, Jim applied some lotion to his hands and rubbed them together to heat the lotion and make it expand. When his hands were sufficiently warmed, Jim placed his hands on her upper back and began to rub the lotion into her skin, marveling at the silky softness of her body, similar to Lucky's clean, washed fur coat. As he worked his way down her back, Jim applied more pressure in some places than in others. Knuckling his fists, he proceeded to rub firmly on both sides of her spine, up and down in slow, deep and consistent strides. Having finished with her back, Jim scooted down her torso and sat, squatting, at the foot end of the bed. Taking her right leg in hand, Jim worked some lotion into her thigh and down to her calf. Sara was a bit overwhelmed by the sensations she was feeling; never in all her years had she been given a full body massage by anyone, let alone her best male friend.  
  
"Ugh, that feels sooooooo good, Jim. You have no idea how long I've been needing this." Sara groaned

"I'm happy to be of service." he replied  
  
Finishing the other thigh, Jim began on the soles of her feet. Less lotion was needed there, but when he rubbed his knuckles across the arch of her foot, Sara giggled almost uncontrollably. "Ahh, she's ticklish" Jim thought to himself. He worked his way from the heels of her feet right down to the tips of her toes, and when he was done, he trailed the tips of his fingers up her thighs to the nape of her neck, eliciting a body spasm, the likes of which he had never seen before; like a full body shiver. As Jim stood up and walked back into the bathroom, Sara rolled over and plucked Jim's tank top from the foot end of the bed and put it on. By the time he returned from the bathroom, Sara was sitting up knees to her chest, head on her knees, looking at Jim. She motioned for him to have a seat next to her and when he sat down, she wrapped her arms around his neck, hugging the life from him.  
  
"Thanks, Jim. I really needed that."  
"Well, you looked like you could use a bit of pampering. I was happy to be of service." he replied  
  
Taking a moment to collect herself, Sara was having thoughts of a less than pure nature; thoughts she had not had in the longest time. She was seeing Jim in a whole different light; seeing a soft, caring and loving side to him. Sara tried not to get her signals crossed, not to read anything into what had just happened, but there were questions that she wanted answers to. So, organizing her thoughts, she sighed. Seeing the look on Sara's face, Jim had a clue as to what was going on in her mind, so, before she could say anything, Jim spoke.  
  
"What's on your mind, Sara?" he asked  
  
A bit surprised at his observation, but at the same time, in awe of his abilities of deduction, Sara gave her best attempt at a half hearted smile and smirk, but only succeeded in making herself more beautiful in Jim's eyes. She watched as his eyes twinkled and replied to his question.  
  
"I think we need to talk about us." she stated simply  
  
Not surprised that this was on her mind, Jim rubbed his face with an open hand before replying.  
  
"Is there an us?" he asked

"That's what I want to talk about; our relationship, such as it is." she countered "Where do you see us?"  
"Well, I see us as having a very special connection; a kinship, as it were." he replied

"Now, bearing that in mind, what do you want from what we have?"  
"What we have is luck; luck in finding each other, luck in having so much in common and providence plays a hand as well." he explained  
  
"How so?" she asked

"Well, think of it this way, both of us were drawn to Las Vegas, for our own reasons, but it was serendipity that brought us together. We both, more or less, have the same job, we, both of us, understand what the other goes through on a daily basis and thusly, we're in a unique position to comfort, console and cope with each other and our demons, as they may be." Jim stated rather succinctly  
  
Sara had not expected Jim to have such a profound response at the ready, but was glad to see that he had obviously thought about this matter before. Jim's words echoed in Sara's mind as she considered her response. After a few moments, she replied.  
  
"That having been said, which direction would you like things between you and I to take?"  
she asked

"Well, I'm willing to take whichever direction you are, so, I'm game for whatever, you know?" he replied

"How 'bout this, we stay friends, but take things slow and comfortably where romance is concerned. Its been a while since I've been with anyone, if you take my meaning." she explained  
  
If Jim were being honest with himself, he would have to admit that slow and comfy was the proper course of action, even though he would have readily and gladly jumped into nookie with her, but since it had been a while for him as well, he agreed.  
  
"Agreed." he stated  
  
That matter having been settled, he and Sara made their way back to the living area and out to the front porch. The sun was beginning to set behind the horizon line and as a stiff gust blew by, Sara shivered. Seeing this, Jim came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her,  
transferring some of his warmth to her. Sara leaned her head back on Jim's shoulder and rubbed the tops of his hands that were hugging her to him. They stood there for what seemed an eternity, and only went inside when Jim heard Lucky making a commotion.  
  
As Sara followed Jim inside, she thought about the feeling of his strong arms wrapped around her and how she wished she could wake up every morning to his embrace.  
  
TBC?--


	5. Alternate CH 5

(Jim and Sara nookie courtesy of my co-conspirator)  
Borrowed: New Horizons-Justin Hayward and the Moody Blues

----------------------------------------  
  
The sound of Lucky crashing about through the cabin could be heard by the sleeping couple in the bedroom. Almost in the same way a parent would address a crying infant in the middle of the night, Sara rolled over to Jim and simply stated, "Its your turn". Reluctantly, Jim got up and clad only in his boxers, and padded his way into the living area to find Lucky sitting on the armrest of the couch, looking over at him. Picking up the kitten, Jim absentmindedly stroked it's fur and whispered.  
  
"So, what do you want now, hmm, food, milk?" he asked the pint sized terror  
  
Jim placed the kitten on the kitchen counter as he opened a tin of tuna and poured a saucer of milk. Placing them on the floor, beside the fridge, Jim picked Lucky up from the counter where he was watching his actions and placed him on the floor. Watching Lucky devour the tuna and move on to the milk, Jim smiled to himself and spoke softly as he walked back to the bedroom.  
  
"Like having another infant, midnight feedings and constant attention."  
  
Back in the bedroom, Jim went to the bathroom to relieve himself. Washing his hands and brushing his teeth, he looked at himself in the mirror and sighed. Noting the creases on his brow line, and the crow's feet around his eyes Jim thought to himself that he looked about as old as he felt; and, boy, did he feel old.  
  
Walking back to bed, he climbed in and lay on his back, arm stretched out over top of Sara's head. Almost as soon as he settled in, Sara got up and went to the bathroom, herself. Listening to the sounds of running water and toilet flushing, Jim rolled over to look out the slightly open bedroom window. The night sky was clear and the stars were out in full force, shedding moonlight and star fire out across the heavens.  
  
As Sara brushed her teeth, she looked in the mirror and with her free hand, she brushed a few stray hairs from her face. The luggage from underneath her eyes was gone, and for this she credited Jim, as the last couple of nights she had slept unusually well. Rinsing her brush under warm water and gargling with some minty-fresh mouthwash, she smiled to her reflection and whispered, "You go, Girl".  
  
Climbing back into bed, Sara snuggled up to Jim and draped her left arm around his stomach. Reaching up with his free hand, Jim placed his hand on top of Sara's and drew lazy circles with the tip of his index finger while Sara ran her fingers through the hairs of Jim's happy trail.  
After a few minutes, Jim rolled over and turned his head to gaze at Sara. Seeing her looking back at him, Jim blushed. He was thankful for the poor light quality, as he was certain that Sara could not see him pinkening. Sensing that something was on her mind, Jim spoke.  
  
"What's up?" he asked

"Oh, nothing; I was just thinking." she replied

"About what?" he inquired

"About us." she said softly

"What about us?" he queried  
  
Sensing that she was reluctant to speak her mind, Jim knew exactly what she was thinking. He had a feeling that if left up to her, Sara would never make any real first move of any sort, so, swallowing hard, he cupped her face in his hands and planted a soft kiss on her supple lips. The taste was amazing as was the sensation of her hands on him mind blowing. For her part, Sara was lost, herself, as Jim deepened the kiss from soft and sweet to heated and passionate, their tongues dueling for dominance and hands roaming all over each other.  
  
Jim's right hand quickly found it's way to her breast as Sara sank deeper and deeper into the ecstasy that was being loved by Jim Brass. In the past, Sara had wondered about Jim's age and his ability to rise to the occasion where sex was concerned, but if now was any indication of things to come, Jim was definitely not a candidate for Enzyte or any of the other erectile dysfunction drugs. Jim was more than adequately equipped for pleasures of the flesh. A couple of times, at work and in her off time with Jim, especially when he was wearing jeans, Sara had found herself looking, and at times, staring at Jim's endowments, and a couple of times, in fact, Jim had caught her gawking either at his ass or his crotch. At those times, Sara would think to herself that Jim was in great shape, physically, as her eyes wandered over his whole body, wondering what it would look like devoid of any restrictive clothing. Now, she was finding out and much to her complete pleasure, Jim was a stud, in every sense of the word.  
  
As Sara and Jim tumbled about under the bedclothes, she thought about something she'd heard in college; that more than a handful was wasteful. As this thought passed through her mind, she chuckled.  
  
"What's the matter?" Jim asked  
  
Realizing that Jim had heard her, Sara blushed and hesitated before responding. Summoning up all her courage, Sara smiled.  
  
"I was just thinking about something I heard in college, that's all."  
"And what was that?" he questioned as he trailed kisses down her breastbone to her navel

"Oh, just that more than a hand full is wasteful." she confessed

"Is that so?" Jim asked playfully "And which category do I fall into?"  
  
Finding herself momentarily unable to speak, due to Jim's lips on her abdomen and working their way farther south, she struggled to respond. After a few moments, she replied.  
  
"You would not only fall, but come crashing through the barriers of the "more than a hand full" category, but certainly not wasteful."  
  
Jim smiled at the obviously sincere compliment as Sara ran her hands across Jim's back and shoulders, creating goose bumps. Opening his eyes momentarily, Jim saw the band of Sara's boxers and looked up at her, grinning.  
  
"These are some very naughty shorts; very naughty indeed." he said, shimmying them off her hips and tossing them to the floor  
  
"Ooh, Hmm, OoohYeah." was her only reply  
  
Taking this as a good sign, Jim moved back up Sara's torso, to her lips and back to heaven. As Jim made love to her mouth with his lips, Sara attempted to flip him onto his back, but he resisted. A mischievous grin on his face, he gazed down at her.  
  
"No you don't, this is for you, girlie." he said in a very seductive tone  
  
Sara began to protest, but Jim cut her off by placing his hand on her cheek and steering her gaze to him and into his eyes; he had her undivided attention. Pausing for a moment and shifting his weight to his knees, he was now straddling her abdomen. Looking into her deep pools of chestnut brown, he whispered.  
  
"Tonight is all about you and what I can do to make you happy; to pleasure you. Whatever you want, I will do. All you have to do is tell me; that's all I ask." he explained  
  
Sara was stunned by Jim's statement, and as she processed this new information, she thought about all the wonderful things that Jim was willing to do, just for her. He was willing to take the time and make this as amazing for her as he possibly could, he was totally and utterly unselfish and making this all about her, forgoing his own needs. This was shaping up to be the best sexual encounter that she had ever had, bar none.  
  
Slow and steady were Jim's thrusts and at the height of each stroke, Sara could see stars behind her closed lids. With every slide, Jim hit her G-spot and as the sensation registered each time, she gasped a little more and a little louder. Her head tilted back, almost to the point of possible pain, Sara reached up and ran her hands around Jim's love handles and cupped his tightly muscular ass. Sweat beading on his brow, Jim looked down at Sara  
  
Sara could feel every inch of Jim as he slid into and out of her, and just when she thought she was arriving at climax, Jim withdrew and placed a kiss on her forehead. Puzzled as to why Jim would back off when she, and most likely he, as well, were so close to the verge, her eyes shot open and she pouted.  
  
"Awww, man."  
  
Grinning heavily and giggling maniacally, Jim responded to Sara's protest.  
  
"I'm no minute man. Remember what I said earlier; this is all about you. I want you to remember me." he said with a certain look in his eyes  
  
Touched, in more ways than one, that Jim would say something like that, Sara cocked her head to the side and gazed up and into Jim's eyes. She desperately wanted to say something to reassure him that he would never be forgotten, but her mind was a temporary blank. Finally, after a few seconds, she responded. Placing her right hand on his cheek and drawing his gaze to her, she whispered to him.  
  
"Jim, I can assure you that you will never, and I mean never, be forgotten. Point in fact, you'd rank at the top of my list." she stated  
  
Looking down at her and about to weep, Jim replied.  
  
"The top?"  
"The very top, as in the best, and that's no shallow compliment, Jim. You're very talented." she replied  
  
Visibly touched by Sara's declaration, Jim squinted as a single tear escaped his eye and landed on Sara's chest. Feeling the moisture on her skin, Sara brought her head up and planted a tender kiss on his lips. Backing off a bit after the peck, Sara nibbled on Jim's lower lip and grinned mischievously. Taking into account his current emotional state, Sara vocalized her wants.  
  
"Ok, Jim, you gave me mine, now I'm gonna give you yours." she stated  
  
Slowly and carefully, Sara rolled Jim over to lie on his back and climbed on him, straddling his hips. Leaning forward, Sara hovered her chest above Jim's eager mouth and as he took a breast in his hand and tugged at her nipple with his teeth, Sara gritted her teeth as Jim continued with his ministrations. Rocking her hips back and forth, Sara established a rhythm which, by the looks of things, was just dandy for Jim.  
  
Just as things were returning to their previous pace, Lucky, who, unbeknownst to Jim and Sara, had been sitting in the doorway watching, jumped up on the night table, landing on the clock radio, effectively switching it on. Sara swatted at Lucky to shoo him off the radio and when he saw her hand coming, he puffed up and hissed, swatting at her. Chuckling out of nervousness, Sara looked at Jim.  
  
"Tell your son to get lost." she directed  
  
Jim reached out his left hand and taking Lucky by the belly, lifted him off the radio and plopped him on the floor. Immediately, he jumped back up and resumed his previous position. Back arched and tail fluffed up, Lucky protested when Jim removed him this second time, but as Jim shook his finger at the cat, he dropped his head and left the room. Looking up at Sara, Jim smiled.  
  
"I think he was trying to protect me." Jim commented

"From what?" she asked

"Oh, I don't know, a heart attack, maybe?" Jim mused  
  
This last comment elicited a playful swat from Sara. Jim rubbed the spot on his shoulder where Sara had made contact and chuckled.  
  
"Hey, careful, there, I'm an old man." he commented

"You're far from old, Jim, and you're in no danger of having a heart attack. You think I'd do anything to jeopardize your health?" she asked playfully  
  
"Well, not intentionally, no." Jim replied, gaining another swat from Sara "Hey, I never knew you were into brutalizing your partners."  
  
As witty as this last comment was, Sara could not pass up the opportunity to get Jim while he was prone, so, shifting her weight to her knees and wiggling her fingers around she proceeded to tickle him. She wasn't sure if he was ticklish, but she figured she'd give it a shot as she tickled his underarms and backs of his knees. Jim wiggled about violently as he tried to get Sara off of him, but was unsuccessful. Sara was amazingly powerful for her size, and for this,  
Jim was not totally disappointed.  
  
After a few minutes, Sara relented and Jim rolled over, taking her with him. The music played in the background as Jim dipped his head to place a trail of kisses from one collar bone to the other. The soft sounds of Justin Hayward and The Moody Blues echoed throughout the boudoir as Jim and Sara picked up right where they had left off before the "Lucky" incident. They were a tangle of human flesh encased in a flannel cocoon; two becoming one.  
  
Where is this place that we have found

Nobody knows where we are bound

I long to hear, I need to see

Cos I've shed tears enough for me  
  
But I'm never gonna lose your precious gift

It will always be that way

Cos I know I'm gonna find my piece of mind

Someday.....  
  
Hearing the words to this lovely song, Sara closed her eyes and slipped into blissful oblivion. Behind her closed lids, she saw spots, great big spots of psychedelic blues, greens, reds and swirls of other colours. For himself, Jim hyper focused on the lyrics; he loved this song and he could think of no better way to hear it again than to listen to it while making love to Sara.  
  
Steadily, Jim worked his pace up to a faster stride, pumping and thrusting with all his reserved energy. Jim could tell that Sara was near to the edge and as he felt her tighten around him, he dipped his head down and whispered into her ear.  
  
"Open up, Sara. I need to see you."  
  
Feeling the beginnings of her climax, Sara opened her eyes and stared directly into Jim's pools of bright blue. Not wanting to close her eyes, Sara focused on Jim's and as they achieved the ever elusive mutual climax, Sara went cross-eyed. Slightly physically drained, Jim gave a few last thrusts and when he was totally spent, he withdrew and rolled over on his side. He could hear Sara's rapid breathing and as he turned to see her, she rolled over and placed her head on his chest. His heart was beating double-time as well, but it was strong and steady, like the man.  
  
Before succumbing to the exhaustion that threatened to take them, Jim kissed the top of Sara's head and rubbed an open hand on her back.

###########  
  
The sun crept through the blinds of the bedroom and shined it's light on a sleeping Jim Brass and Sara Sidle. Sara was first to wake and when she opened her eyes, she saw Lucky sitting on Jim's chest with his paw raised and looking at Jim's eyes move back and forth behind his lids. As the lashes fluttered, Lucky patted Jim's eye and waited for it to flutter again. Surprised that Jim had not woken yet, Sara climbed out of bed and headed for the bathroom to relieve herself, brush her teeth and wash her hands. Seeing that Lucky was still on Jim, Sara went to the kitchen and dished out some tuna and milk for him. Hearing the plates hit the floor, Lucky came running and wove his way around her legs. Having finished, Sara went back to bed and picked up her magazine from the bedside table.  
  
For about fourty-five minutes, Sara had been reading to herself while Jim slept on. She didn't want to wake him because if he was as exhausted as she was, he'd be sleeping for a while longer. Sara was a bit worn and a bit sore, due to the extended period of time without any activity, but it really didn't bother her at all, after all, she had waited, been patient and when the time came, she was ready.  
  
While in the middle of an article about rock climbing, Sara noticed Jim moving around' "He's waking up." she thought to herself, and she was right. Jim rolled over and Lucky jumped from his chest to land between Jim and Sara. Opening his eyes Jim looked at the clock on the night table: 09:00. Looking up at Sara, Jim wondered why, if she was so awake, she would stay in bed. He rested his head on her lap and with his right hand absentmindedly traced circles on her left thigh. For about 30 minutes, Jim and Sara stayed like this, comfy and laid back. It was only when Lucky patted Jim's hand on Sara's thigh, that he showed more definite signs of life. The kitten nuzzled his nose against Jim's nose and sat in front of him as if he were awaiting his response. Reluctantly, Jim reached a hand out from under the warm covers and scratched Lucky behind the ear. Sara smiled as she watched Jim and Lucky interacting; it was so cute.  
  
His head still on her lap, Jim looked up at her and sighed.  
  
"How do you feel?" he asked  
  
Changing his position from one of lying down to sitting up, Jim looked at Sara and smiled widely.  
  
"I feel alive. I feel perfect." he replied  
  
Smiling hard, Sara replied  
  
"You are perfect, Jim. In my eyes, you're a paragon of the male species."  
  
TBC?--


End file.
